SITARThe
sitar is an adaptation of the ancient Indian vina, with
influences of the Persian sehtar of the Moghul courts.
The body of the sitar is made of gourd and its neck
and face of teakwood. The instrument has movable frets
with seven main strings made of steel, copper and brass
on the upper bridge. The thirteen sympathetic strings
underneath are tuned to the scale of the raga. Krishna
Bhatt's sitar was made by the late Hiren Roy of Calcutta,
the premier sitar-maker of India.

TABLAThe tablas are two tuned drums, each
with a gab - a circle of iron fillings on the center
of the head. A good set of tabla can be nicely tuned,
has a clear ring, and produces beautiful tones of many
types. Tabla literature - the music which has been composed
by generations of great tabla maestros of different
gharanas (traditional schools) can justly be compared
in its variety to the piano literature of the West.

TAMBOURAThe tamboura provides the drone background.
Perfectly tuned, it sets the mood of the improvised
melody of the instrumentalist. It has four to six steel
and copper strings that are played continuously throughout
the performance.